The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has refuted reports claiming that retired Vice Admiral Jibrin Usman and Brigadier-General Ishaya Bauka have been cleared in the ongoing N3 billion fraud case.
In a statement issued on Friday, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare emphasized that the two ex-military officers remain on the wanted list. The commission described the reports suggesting their exoneration as entirely false and urged the public to ignore such claims.
“The charges against Vice Admiral Jibrin Usman (Rtd.) and Brigadier-General Ishaya Bauka for their alleged involvement in the N3 billion fraud are still valid, and they are still wanted by the ICPC,” Bakare said.
The ICPC clarified that while the charges in court had been amended, this does not mean the allegations have been dropped or dismissed. The amended charges are a normal legal procedure, and the arrest warrants for both Usman and Bauka remain in effect.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the charges have been amended, not withdrawn,” the statement stressed. “ICPC does not clear anyone of a case already in court. The amended charges are part of the ongoing proceedings while efforts continue to apprehend the fugitives.”
Usman and Bauka, along with four others, were initially charged on April 17, 2023, for embezzling N3 billion in public funds. Despite court documents being served through their lawyers, the two men failed to appear for their arraignment. As a result, bench warrants for their arrest were issued.
On February 4, 2025, ICPC officials arrested one of the co-defendants, Adam Imam Yusuf, but Usman and Bauka remain at large. The commission assured the public that efforts to apprehend the ex-military officers are ongoing, and should they be arrested, the amended charges will include the initial allegations.
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